Solis, Cassie and Company
by stcrmpilot
Summary: A collection of ficlets centering on a renegade Time Lord named Solis and their human companion, Cassie. (Warnings in chapter summaries.)
1. The Future Can Wait

**A/N** : So here's all my OC nonsense. Basic rundown: Solis is a renegade Time Lord in their twelfth regeneration, who fought in the Time War and deserted before it could end. After some time travelling alone they met Cassie, an astrophysics prof, on Earth, and she became their companion and later queerplatonic partner. There's a bit more about them on my Tumblr, but most just exists in my head, so if you by chance ever get curious feel free to ask me about them lmao.

* * *

"All I'm saying," muttered Solis, "is that you lot are going about it all wrong. A standard engine can only get so fast, but–"

"Dematerialization is the future," finished Cassie, a long-suffering smile on her face. "I know, Sol, I've been."

She didn't need to move her book out of the way to know they were pouting up at her, giving her that doe-eyed look of which no being of their age and hauteur should be capable. They were laid out across the length of the sofa, their head in her lap and their feet propped against the far armrest, ankles crossed in thinly-veiled impatience. They'd been waiting nicely for her to finish her reading on twenty-third century relativity but, despite the fact that they'd been busy nonstop for days, they were very eager to take her out sightseeing. Or at least they had been; now, they seemed to be rather preoccupied.

"Oh, you must remind me to take you to the twenty-five hundreds," they said, "there's this lovely Earth spacecraft that–" They broke off in a yawn, a shiver running visibly down their body. Cassie peered around her book, amused, to see them rubbing at their eye, trying to shake off their obvious tiredness.

"Why don't you just go to bed?" she suggested. "We can go out later."

Solis shook their head. "I'm not tired," they protested. "As I was saying–"

"Sol," she said, drawing it out pleadingly. "C'mon. It's been forever."

"It's been four days," they corrected.

She gave them a pointed look. They huffed, returning her gaze defiantly. Then they yawned again, and their expression turned sheepish.

"Well," they grumbled, "perhaps we could go a bit later."

Cassie smiled down at them, and freed one hand to ruffle through their hair. "Go get some sleep," she ordered softly. "Your fancy engines will wait."

Solis hesitated then, glancing towards the door of the library. A slight shadow crossed their face; they didn't like to sleep alone, she knew, and they weren't particularly good at hiding it. She waited for the inevitable.

"Could I… stay?" they asked, far too tentative given the fact that this was a regular routine for them.

"Yeah, course," she said, watching fondly as gratitude flickered in their eyes. She set down her book for a moment, stretched and grabbed the blanket folded on the back of the sofa, helping to arrange it over their prone form. They wrapped it tight around their shoulders, turning on their side to curl up with their legs drawn up to their chest. A contented little smile played across their lips.

Cassie held her book open against the armrest and reached down with her free hand, draping her arm over Solis' shoulder; they reached up to take her hand in theirs, resting it against their chest. They'd already closed their eyes.

"'Night, Sol," she murmured, rubbing her thumb over the back of their hand.

"Could've gone now," they mumbled.

"I know," said Cassie, humouring them.

"Don't need–" they yawned– "sleep."

"I know." She smiled. "Goodnight, Sol."

They sighed, submitting, and burrowed just a bit further under the blanket. "'Night."


	2. Home is Where the Hearts Are

**Chapter Summary** : Attending a family gathering with Cassie, Solis finds themself missing something.

* * *

"There you are!"

Cassie jogged up the path, panting, and stopped in front of the bench under the tree. "Sol, c'mon, you can't just disappear like that," she implored. "Thought you'd been kidnapped or something."

She didn't get a response. "Sol?" she inquired, stepping closer. It took her a moment, in the dim light of the park's streetlamps, to realize that Solis was hunched over, their face buried in their hands.

They cleared their throat, straightening stiffly to sweep their hair out of their face. "Sorry," they said roughly. "Didn't think."

Pursing her lips, Cassie sat next to them. "What's the matter?" she asked softly.

They glanced away, going quiet for a long moment. She took their hand in hers, rubbing her thumb in gentle circles, and some of the tension left them in a sigh. They were shaking, she realized, and not because of the chill in the air; their eyes shone when they lifted their head enough to illuminate their face, and every once in a while their lip would tremble, and their breath would hitch. She wished they would just let themself cry a bit longer.

"Was it too loud?" she murmured, when they still couldn't bring themself to answer. "Too many people?"

Solis shook their head. "It's… I–" Their voice cracked, and they grit their teeth in frustration.

"It's alright," she whispered. "You don't have to."

"I'm not used to it," they said suddenly, their tone brimming with pain. "The– the family thing, I don't... I never got that. I've never h– had parents and siblings and cousins, not properly. I don't know what to do with it, I'm no good at it, I– I can't..." They looked down, breathing hard, as if they didn't want her to see them admit it. "It's not fair," they said quietly. "It's not fair, I… why couldn't I have that?"

"Oh. Oh, Sol." Cassie pulled them into her arms, and they leaned against her, curling in on themself. Their shoulders shook, but they made no noise. "I'm sorry," she murmured, rubbing their back idly. "I didn't realize. I... can't imagine how hard that must be."

They didn't respond, but their body was wracked by another series of sobs, drawing a quiet whimper from their throat.

"You know..." Cassie paused, unsure whether she was crossing a line. "You know they love you, right? We all do, you– you're just as welcome there as I am."

They took a halting breath, calming as they listened to her.

"I know, they aren't your birth relatives and– and it's no replacement for growing up without a family, but–" She hugged them tighter. "You've got one now. If you want it. We're all here for you, whenever you're ready."

After a moment of silence, Solis drew away from her. "Really?" they asked. Their eyes were wide with trepidation, their body held stiff and proper; she offered a reassuring smile.

"Of course," she said. "Always."

Slowly, they allowed themself to relax, and a soft smile played across their lips in turn. "Thank you," they said quietly.

Cassie leaned in and pressed a kiss to their forehead. "D'you want to go back now?" she asked.

They hesitated.

Seeing their reluctance, she suggested, "Maybe a walk instead?"

Relieved, they nodded.

"Sounds good."

Taking their hand, she pulled them up off the bench and immediately wrapped them in another tight hug. "Love you, Sol," she whispered.

She felt their chest rise and fall with a deep, shuddering breath. "You too," they murmured.


	3. Starstuff

**Chapter Summary** : Cassie provides a bit of much-needed reassurance, in a very _her_ way. (Warning for mentioned self-harm.)

* * *

"Do you remember," murmured Cassie, "the night I brought you to my office?"

Solis turned their head to look up at her. They were stretched out on their back beside her, head propped against the armrest in the crook of her elbow. Their arms—bare, but resting so their forearms were hidden—were crossed loosely over their body, and when Cassie reached down with her free hand to turn one of theirs over, they didn't resist.

"Most of it," they said. They gave a crooked little smile, barely visible in the dim light of the telly. "Still a bit fuzzy on the details, to be honest."

Cassie smiled back. She looked down at their hand, her thumb rubbing gentle circles in their palm. "You rigged up a hologram," she recalled. "Showed me a galaxy I'd only ever seen through the telescope. New constellations..." She squeezed their hand. "Oh, it was amazing."

She could feel Solis' curious gaze on her, but her attention was fixed elsewhere. Feather-light, she let her fingers trail over the pale skin of their wrist. They tensed in her arms.

"I love when people draw in the constellations," she remarked. "Like all those old starcharts in the library. It's... nice, I think, finding just a little more beauty up there." Her thumb brushed lower on their forearm, delicately stroking over the lines of lighter flesh. They were probably much more visible than they'd like, in the harsh light of the telly. That was alright.

"All you're missing is freckles," she said, smiling fondly.

"Cassie..." Their voice was barely a breath, hushed and nervous. They were shaking a little.

"You're so beautiful," she murmured, meeting their wide-eyed gaze once more.

"That's not-" They cleared their throat. "Not the same. You can't-"

She shook her head. "You're amazing," she said firmly. "And I'm so proud of you."

They opened their mouth, searching for a response and coming up empty. Tears welled in their eyes, glistening in the light, and Cassie drew them closer into her arms. They buried their face in her shoulder, clutching at her, and shuddered. She hugged them tighter.

"I love you," she whispered. She brushed their hair out of their face and kissed their forehead. "Sol, I love you so much."

They exhaled shakily, and let her go, lying back down to face her but keeping their gaze fixed downwards. "Love you too," they said quietly.

Cassie shuffled around to lie next to them, took their hand in hers and held it to her chest. They looked at her, then, and a tiny smile quirked at the corner of their lips.

"Constellations, eh?" they murmured, a hint of amusement in their tone.

She huffed at their teasing. "Go to sleep, Sol."


	4. Making Peace

**Chapter Summary** : Solis says goodbye to their past self.

 **A/N** : Context time! The person referred to with ze/zir pronouns is Solis' tenth regeneration. Ze was the last version of them to fight in the Time War and was the one who decided to leave Gallifrey. Here, they say their parting words after an adventure in which Solis' tenth, eleventh and twelfth regens meet (DotD-style); the eleventh has already left, and the tenth, who Solis refuses to name, wonders whether ze will really be able to desert and live as a renegade.

There's a whole lot more I could ramble about...

* * *

"Well." Ze sniffed, drawing themself up to look Solis in the eye. "I suppose it's time to go back, then."

Solis only held zir gaze (gods, it still made them squirm) for a split second before glancing away, and nodding. "Time to go," they agreed, studying one particular lever on the console.

Neither made any move to follow through, though, standing silently for a long, uncomfortable moment. A nervous tension sparked between them; Solis imagined they could see it, golden electricity arcing around the console room. At least, they figured, it was better than the shouting.

Then ze sighed, rocking back on zir heels, examining the high, arched ceiling, the intricate writing on the pillar of the time rotor, down to the bronze-gilded console.

"This is my taste in the future," ze remarked with an air of disbelief. "Awfully… homey, if you ask me."

"Well," muttered Solis, "as you've pointed out, there's always time to change things." They moved meanderingly around the console, brushing their fingers over the controls, then set themself to work readying for flight. "Who knows? You could step out those doors and I might cease to ever have existed."

Ze didn't reply. When Solis glanced up, curious, ze was regarding them with an expression of such deep sadness. It stopped them in their tracks, and they stood up straight, tilting their head as if to ask what was the matter (because that was not something they would ever ask this being, not out loud).

"I think we both know that nothing can change now," ze said quietly.

A subtle ache burrowed into the space between their hearts, and they wanted to wince. "Listen, I–" They bit their lip, turning their focus to the switch between their fingers. "I am sorry," they mumbled. "At least… you won't remember it."

Ze gave a weak laugh. "I almost wish I could," ze admitted. "I'll be left wondering. Again."

Closing their eyes, they nodded.

"So this is me!" ze exclaimed, smiling bitterly as ze gestured around the room. "This is what becomes of everything I've done. My future, my… destiny." Ze spoke the word like it left an acrid tang in their mouth. "And the other one, my next life, that–" Ze broke off, shaking zir head, and leaned against the console. Zir chest rose and fell visibly with zir harsh breaths.

Ze gritted zir teeth, and when ze looked up zir eyes shone with tears. "It is fair," ze whispered. "It's only fair that– that should be my future. I should have to bear it. But I don't want it."

Solis remembered, in that instant, a last battle. They remembered staring out over a burned and smoking world, and feeling something crack open inside them. Getting to their chambers and thinking, inexplicably, that they would suffocate if they didn't get their collar off right then, a fleeting look out a window and a waiting TARDIS in a locked and darkened repair bay.

They remembered running. They remembered being zir.

(Perhaps they should remember more often.)

Though thrown by the sudden display of emotions, they took a deep breath. "No one would," they said. "But it's right."

Composing zirself once more, ze turned away, so they couldn't see zir face. Ze cleared zir throat.

"And if I can't?" Ze said it in the same way they recalled saying everything else, back then—just another possibility, a statistic, no weight behind it. Same as everything else, it was a front.

A vicious little voice in the back of their mind piped up, the same one that always seemed to awaken around zir. It's true, it whispered, you can't do it, oh, if you knew how it ends for you…

But Solis silenced those thoughts. They knew better, now. Because they also remembered standing with Cassie in the hallway outside her bedroom and promising they'd be back soon for popcorn and a movie, letting their head rest on her shoulder as she hugged them goodbye. And they realized, quite suddenly, that the thought of fearing the future had long-since become laughable.

So they looked zir in the too-pale eyes, and said, "Be brave. Better days will come."

They knew ze would forget, but a reminder never hurt.


	5. Thermostat Troubles

**Chapter Summary** : Solis and Cassie disagree on what constitutes a comfortable temperature.

* * *

"Bloody hell!" Cassie exclaimed, rubbing her upper arms vigorously as she stepped into her room. "What've you done?"

Solis, busy toying with the various trinkets and artifacts on her dresser, looked up and tilted their head in question. "What do you mean?" they asked.

"It's freezing in here!" She hurried over to the bed and began fixing the sheets, eager to get under the covers. She glanced over her shoulder. "You can't mess with the atmosphere controls like that, Sol, I can't regulate my body temperature like you."

Abandoning their fiddling and turning to face her, Solis watched her hurry to get ready for bed. "It's only eighteen degrees," they offered. "Brilliant weather for a walk. Balmy."

"That's cold!"

"Just a bit," they whinged.

Cassie looked at them, exasperated; they glanced down at their feet, clasping their hands behind their back awkwardly. They weren't the type to fuss about temperature, she knew, and if they were trying to deflect from the issue it meant there was something else wrong. She waited patiently for them to offer an explanation.

After a moment, they sighed. "I, er… I get nervous," they mumbled, shifting their weight as if resisting the urge to run away. "If it's too warm. When I wake up and– and try to… calm down, I like the cold." They avoided her gaze for a moment longer, then straightened up and inhaled sharply, shrugging off the tension. "I'll go change it back," they said quickly, and made for the door.

"Sol, wait."

They paused, holding themself stiffly, ready to flee, if needed.

Cassie threw back the covers and climbed underneath, hurriedly tugging them over her and curling up tight on her side. "You'd better come warm me up," she warned.

A grateful little smile flickered across their expression. Delicately, they climbed into bed opposite her and moved over, wrapping themself around her and looping an arm around her waist. She grabbed their hand and pulled them as close as possible.

"Oh, you're cold too," she groaned. She was already shivering, and their lower natural body temperature wasn't helping.

"Well, give me a moment and I can fix that," they said, humouring her. She could hear the smile in their tone as they shifted around to get comfortable, resting their forehead against the back of her neck and twining one leg with hers. And sure enough, it wasn't long before they began to feel warm against her, and she began to doze off.

Just as she let her eyes close, she felt Solis' quiet sigh against her skin.

"I'm sorry, Cassie," they said softly. "I shouldn't–"

Cassie shushed them. "It's okay," she whispered. "Whatever you need. Just want you to get your sleep."

Some of the nervous tension drained out of their body, and they relaxed against her. "Okay," they said.

She took their hand in hers, squeezing it tight and holding it against her chest. "Wake me if you need me," she said quietly. "Alright?"

They hesitated, then nodded.

"Alright." She rubbed her thumb along the backs of their fingers. "Love you, Sol. Sleep well."

They didn't reply out loud. They rarely managed that, and she didn't expect them to. But after a moment of stunned surprise—they did _that_ every single time, bless—they hugged her as close to them as they could, and pressed a feather-light kiss to her shoulder. "Good night," they murmured.

She smiled. She supposed the cold wasn't so bad, after all.


	6. Overtime

**Chapter Summary** : For the prompt "cuddles while someone is crying"

* * *

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Solis shifts in her arms, almost too tired to move, and presses themself closer to her, burying their face in the crook of her shoulder. "Don't know," they say hoarsely.

Cassie moves one arm from around their back to gently play her fingers through their hair. The other tightens around them, holding them secure.

"You don't have to," she reminds them, her voice quiet and low. "But you can. If you want."

They're silent as they contemplate this. It's a long, empty minute before she decides they're probably lost in their memories again, too fresh out of their nightmares to stay present.

"Sol?" She runs her hand up and down their back, and hears their sharp inhale as they bring themself back to reality. "Is it the war, Sol?" She stills her hand at their flinch. "Is that it?"

They struggle to answer for a moment, nervous energy building within them until they squirm in discomfort and whimper quietly. "I can't," they gasp at last. "I- I can't. I can't talk about it."

"Okay," Cassie soothes them. "It's alright. You don't have to. Easy, just breathe."

For a moment they try to pull back, tense and quivering, as if they're about to jump up and leave. Then they sag against her again, shoulders shaking as they begin to cry.

"Oh, it's okay, Sol," she whispers, hugging them tight once more. "It's all over now. You're safe, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise, it's okay."

They shake their head, and sniffle. "No," they rasp, voice straining. "No. It's not."

"Then it will be," she says firmly.

Her heart clenches painfully as they shake their head again, a long, low cry of pain tearing from their throat. They won't be convinced now, she knows; she can't say she blames them. The best she can hope for is that they can manage a few hours of restful sleep and wake up calmer.

She whispers reassurances to them until they quiet and still, silent sobs giving way to deep, even breaths. They only ever sleep well in her arms.


End file.
